Burning Smell in Cabin?

[SnowmanJPS]

I get a strange burning rubber type smell at times. Not sure what it is.

Same here actually, happened to me today, coming from around the drivers side rear wheelwell area I think, I could smell it coming in through my back window, I also fluid filmed the whole underside of my truck though

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[btrdz]

Having dealt with this kinda crap in the past I decided to cancel my Tacoma order and ordered a 2026 4Runner. Japan build vs Mexican build... Best of luck with the stink. If it is coming through the vents that is a health concern that nobody should be dealing with.

 

[pepco]

Our 24 LC does the same thing. But I only notice it in garage after it's been driven a while. Not in cabin.

 

[Frazier]

Yup the burning rubbery smell sounds exactly like what I experience. I also don't notice it much inside the cab except when I do a long climb driving up north. It's really weird some days I smell it a ton & others I don't even notice it. I can't seem to replicate it consistently either.

 

[Crazy Mary’s Husband]

It could be the rubber exhaust hangers.

 

[SnowmanJPS]

It could be the rubber exhaust hangers.

Highly doubtful, they've used rubber exhaust hangers for decades

 

[Crazy Mary’s Husband]

Highly doubtful, they've used rubber exhaust hangers for decades

what do you think is causing the smell? This isnt a new problem. Do a search and you will find that this has been on ongoing complaint across a wide range of manufacturers for a long time.

 

[Frazier]

Only other thing I can think of is from the serpentine belt. I did have it replaced due to the belt chirping when the A/C compressor engages. This was right around the same time I first noticed the smell but when I look under the hood it doesn't smell like it coming from the belt.

 

[SnowmanJPS]

Only other thing I can think of is from the serpentine belt. I did have it replaced due to the belt chirping when the A/C compressor engages. This was right around the same time I first noticed the smell but when I look under the hood it doesn't smell like it coming from the belt.

Maybe ? but some of the truck reporting it in here don't have a belt also

 

[Tacohunter2024]

I'm at 47k miles and I am noticing this big time. I was sitting at a light at an off ramp after driving for about 40 minutes on the highway at about 80mph. I smelled what I thought was burning oil off a manifold and thought it was the car in front of me. Then I had the "Usual Suspect" moment where I realized, either I've been following an extraordinary amount of vehicles with oil leaks lately, or that smell is coming from MY truck.

I'm looking at brakes, tires, transmission fluid change, etc...I would really like to figure out what is causing this smell before I put $4,000 into the thing.

 

[izzy]

Just smelled this actually lol

Put the engine under some load, up a steep freeway grade for maybe 2-3mins and as soon as the oil temp hit 210 indicated on ScanGauge we got a very hot oil/burny melty smell in the cabin.

I didn't let off when I began to smell it to be fair.

Oil temp hit 213F so not even the hottest it's ever been, was at like 7-10psi for maybe 2-3 mins sustained.

As soon as the oil temp went down a little bit the smell went away. I had the fan on, recirc off, and AC off.

I have a 2013 WRX hatch and after a canyon run it smells like hot oil too, but that's just Subaru things. It's never coming through the vents when the vehicle is running.

 

[Rocko]

I get it too, it is when the motor/turbo is hot. I have looked everywhere(except removing the turbo cover... yet) and can not find anything. But yeah, please if anyone knows what it is, please chime in.

 

[StreeTaco]

This could be oil blow but from lack of a catch can or Air Oil Separator. Under normal conditions, the crankcase gases exhaust into the airbox. These gases tend to have higher levels of oil mist under boost. This mist gets burned in the combustion chamber , possibly causing these smells. Just a theory..

 

[Rocko]

This could be oil blow but from lack of a catch can or Air Oil Separator. Under normal conditions, the crankcase gases exhaust into the airbox. These gases tend to have higher levels of oil mist under boost. This mist gets burned in the combustion chamber , possibly causing these smells. Just a theory..

Good idea, maybe the smell is coming from the airbox/pcv somwhow? I think it is more of a crankcase smell, not exactly oil burning. You might be on to something with the source, but I don't think it is combusting, the smell is definitely coming from under the hood, not trough the exhaust.

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